Bill Millward: Funeral to take place for D-Day veteran, 106

The funeral for a D-Day veteran who died at the age of 106 is to take place later.

Bill Millward, from Derbyshire, was part of a detachment that landed on Gold Beach on 6 June 1944.

A service, at St Oswald's Church, Ashbourne, will be proceeded by a cortege, escorted by motorcycle riders from the Royal British Legion.

Ann Smith, a friend of Mr Millward's, said: "He will be very much missed because everybody loved him."

'Quite a character'

Mrs Smith, who is the Ashbourne lead for the Royal British Legion, said: "He was part of the D-Day landings. He was one of the first off the boats. He was in the 'Ducks' - or amphibious landing craft."

In 2019, Mr Millward was given a surprise ride in a restored vehicle, similar to the one he drove on D-Day.

"He loved it," Mrs Smith - a former mayor of Ashbourne - said.

"He was also one of the first British troops to liberate Belsen [the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp].

"He used to go into a local school - Hilltop Primary - to tell them about World War Two and they will be lining the route."

Mrs Smith said Mr Millward had died at a care home on 14 October.

She added there would be a guard of honour at the church, made up of members of the Royal British Legion, veterans, standard bearers and the Ashbourne retained fire service.

Mr Millward was chosen to turn up the ball at Ashbourne's Shrovetide game when he was 100

There will also be serving military representatives from the Commando Logistic Regiment and the Desert Rats, which Mr Millward served in, and the Last Post will be played.

His family will be present and his medals, including a Legion d'Honneur, will be laid on his coffin.

Following his service, Mr Millward worked in a furniture store. On his 100th birthday, he was chosen to "turn up" the ball at a centuries-old sports event, the Royal Shrovetide Football.

"We are hoping people in the town will turn out and clap as he goes by. He was quite a character in Ashbourne," Mrs Smith said.